.hack//LIMINALITY Fan Fiction / .hack//SIGN Fan Fiction ❯ .hack//CHECK ❯ Brigade ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter 14 // Brigade

"I thought you weren't playing this game anymore.", said Stan.

"Deac was right. He knows who we are.", said Naomi, "But, it looks like you switched to your old character."

"Yeah.", commented Stan, "But, it cost me fifteen bucks!" He checked his equipment.

"Wait, you are Danny Carter?", asked Naomi, "Why didn't you ever tell us?"

"Never came up." He began to run for the clearing. Naomi followed.

"You're rich and famous. Why are you complaining about fifteen dollars?"

"You don't get rich with extravagant spending."

"So, you're a cheapskate... Huh?"

"I prefer the term 'frugal'."

Two figures dropped from the trees above. "Heh. Small fries.", commented Stan. He jumped forward, drew his spear, and slashed them both before they landed. Two ghosts hit the ground and vanished. Stan and Naomi continued their rush for the clearing.

"You do know, your last movie sucked, right?"

"Yeah... Well it's not my fault. Blame the writers..."

. . .

"... And now, the fifth, and final wave.", said the man in a suit. "But, these contestants get a special handicap bonus! They get to spawn right in the middle of the clearing! Ready? GO!"

Suddenly, the cameras all averted their gaze to the center of the field, the clearing. At the moment, a lone, red-clad figure stood there. His white hair blowing in the whistling wind with the same rhythm as the high grass that surrounded him. His face obscured by the shadows created by the artificial sun. Without warning, hundreds of pillars of light began to surround him.

He looked up, smiled, and calmly drew his blade. As the crowd of one thousand began their rush to the center, he quickly turned, and swung his humongous blade, releasing a wide destructive wave that instantly ripped through all in its path. He estimated that the wave he had just released had taken out about five hundred characters.

The other five hundred stopped dead in their tracks.

Swan took a moment to stare at the collection of players that stood before him. Blade slung over his shoulder, and free arm hanging at his side, he began to chuckle. "Well, well, let me see... I want you." He suddenly disappeared.

. . .

Stan and Naomi could almost see the clearing. The numerous minor battles that transpired before that point seemed not to have taken a toll on them.

Suddenly, Stan stopped. "Shh!", he said, "Do you hear that sound?"

"What?"

"Listen."

A loud hum could be heard in the air as six flying vessels soared overhead leaving condensation trails in the sky.

"They've called 'them'?!?", he said.

"What? Who?", she asked.

"The Game Masters."

The two ran to the edge of the clearing. All they could see was Swan. Then, six, decorated circles of light appeared in the sky, and began spinning. Slowly at first, but rapidly gaining speed.

#Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh#

A figure dropped through the center of each circle. Swan was soon surrounded by six characters. The GM team.

"All right!", said Naomi, "They've finally arrived to kick Swan's booty!"

"Oh yeah!", exclaimed Stan, "It's about freakin' time!"

Swan continued to stand there, not moving at all. "You there!", shouted a female GM, "State your character name."

He remained silent.

"Did you hear?!", shouted another GM, "State your character name."

He stuck his sword into the ground.

"That's it!", shouted another GM, "You're to be banned. Effective immediately!"

All of the GM's spun their weapons in their hands "Ready?!", they shouted, "Banninate!"

Before they could plunge their weapons into the ground, Swan lowered his stance and extended both of his arms. "Data Drain: BAKUHA!", he shouted. Suddenly, the entire clearing went up in white light. Stan and Naomi shielded their eyes. When the light had subsided, only Swan was standing. His back was turned to them.

"You do know that it was Ruth who refused to leave Naomi.", said Swan, "But, it seems that a more suitable name for you would be Orpah."

". . .", began Naomi.